RELS 302 : Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament)

This course is an introduction to the contents of the Hebrew Bible (often called the Old Testament by Christians, Tanak by Jews), and to the historical conditions that gave rise to and shaped them. Our goals include your familiarity with selected aspects of the ancient Near Eastern context; the contents (including organization, distinct genres, story lines, and select passages) of the Hebrew Bible; scholarly perspectives on Israel's formation and history, and the way that history shaped these writings; awareness of different interpretive stances among different communities today.